Benton Fraser
' Benton Fraser' (born 1962) is a constable of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who works in the American city of Chicago, Illinois as Deputy Liaison Officer. He lives in a dangerous neighbourhood at apartment 3J at 221 East Racine and later at the consulate itself. Fraser's seemingly strange habits, such as tasting evidence and holding the door for anyone and everyone, add hilarity and whimsy to the show. As Fraser often explains, "I first came to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father, and for reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, I have remained attached as liaison with the Canadian Consulate." Fraser is a strait-laced Northerner, and his faith in the honour and goodness of others tends to lead to interesting and humorous moments. Described as an "outdoors Sherlock Holmes," his behaviour often leads to the frustration of his de-facto partner, Chicago detective Raymond Vecchio. His other companion, a deaf half-wolf named Diefenbaker after Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, reads lips in both English and Inuktitut, and often assists in the capture of criminals. In the third and fourth seasons of the show, Fraser teamed up with Detective Stanley Raymond Kowalski, after Ray Vecchio went undercover in the Las Vegas Mafia. The constable is usually called "Fraser" by his friends and colleagues - some old friends will call him "Benton" or "Ben" at times. Vecchio occasionally calls him "Benny" but usually says "Fraser" (often mispronouncing it "Fray-sure"). Fraser wears his uniform stetson hat both in uniform and out. When he loses it, he seems to get into trouble. Fans of the show have thus nicknamed it the "stetson of invulnerability." Fraser carries his paper money inside his hat. He frequently only has Canadian currency with him. Benton Fraser was portrayed by Canadian actor Paul Gross. Youth Benton Fraser was born in Inuvik, Northwest Territories where he lived until the age of six. His mother Caroline was murdered by a smuggler at this point, and his father Robert Fraser, a RCMP officer, could not raise him on his own. It was decided that he would be sent to live with his grandparents George and Martha Fraser who were travelling librarians. He spent time in Tuktoyaktuk, Aklavik and Alert among others and travelled extensively across northern Canada, reading many of his grandparents' books and perfecting his education. He and his grandparents settled near the Nakina River when he was ten, and he there met his Tsimshian friend Eric who took him to a sweat lodge ceremony and helped him discover other native traditions. At the age of twelve, he met his mentor Tom Quinn, a Native Yukon man who initiated him to the art of tracking by smelling and tasting evidence. He also made friends with a Native boy named Innusiq he would later speak of with great fondness. A the age of thriteen, Benton Fraser spent more time in Inuvik where he befriended Mark Smithbauer who would become a professional hockey player. In one of the communities Fraser lived in, a local Anglican minister would hold picture shows, and Fraser got to see Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life and The Passion of Joan of Arc many times, which would nourish his idealistic character. Career Following in his estranged father's footsteps, Benton Fraser became a Royal Canadian Mounted Police constable in the early 1980's. He worked in many remote Inuit hamlets including two-person detachments and became known for his endurance and skill. He was once transferred to Mississauga, Ontario, but the city life was more than he could handle, and he soon asked to be sent back North. It was in 1992, while stationed at the Prince Rupert detachment, that Fraser met Diefenbaker, the Arctic wolf who saved him from drowning and became his sniff dog and faithful companion. Robert Fraser was assasinated by a Chicago hired gun in the Yukon in 1994. Fraser asked to be transferred to the Canadian consulate in Chicago in the position of Deputy Liaison Officer so he could take part in the murder investigation. He then got to meet Chicago detective Raymond Vecchio with whom he would create a solid bond in spite of their remarkable cultural differences. This investigation led the constable to uncover some serious corruption within the RCMP. His father was aware of this and meant to denounce the scheme, resulting in his death ordered by RCMP Superintendant Gerrard. Fraser was advised to remain in Chicago until the dust settled and he did remain five years, working under the authority of Inspector Moffatt, then Inspector Margaret Thatcher who would grant him a transfer back North in 1999. It is relevant to mention Benton Fraser remained a constable all this time, never attempting to reach a higher rank in the Force, as most officers do during their career. Investigation Methods Benton Fraser's unique investigation methods include smelling and tasting evidence to find the whereabouts of suspects. Smelling a dead man's hands and breath instead of performing a full autopsy is a method he finds less intrusive. He justifies this unusual approach by the fact that remote northern communities rarely have access to sophisticated post-mortem equipment. Trying to remember specific sounds is also a way of deconstructing the events of a crime and making sense of them. Personal life Benton Fraser somewhat resents his father for having George and Martha Fraser raise him and putting his police duty first. He has a curiosity to know his father better, and begins reading the deceased officer's diary in 1994. Robert Fraser's ghost begins appearing and communicating with him later that year, enabling the young constable to forgive and heal. Fraser has an unfortunate recurring relationship with Victoria Metcalf, a bank robber with whom he became infatuated after pursuing her into and then helping her survive a blizzard in the Yukon. After the storm was over, Fraser turned Victoria in to the authorities and she was sent to prison. She later resurfaced in Chicago, blackmailing Fraser into helping her use the money from the bank robbery to buy jewels on the black market, threatening to have Ray Vecchio framed for corruption. She left Chicago soon after her plot unraveled, and was not seen again. Having little experience with romantic matters, Fraser appears to have suppressed his emotions, often for comic effect in the series, and buried himself in the masculine pursuits of law enforcement and campcraft. His super-human detective abilities provide humorous contrast with his inability to interact with women. His fixation upon the criminal Metcalf, and later, his superior officer, Margaret Thatcher (no relation to the Bitish prime minister), was unreasonable, and he may have used his attraction to an unavailable woman as a mechanism for avoiding change in his own life. In the ITV documentary South Bound co-star David Marciano said it was vital that the character of Fraser be both innocent but also unemotional. Actor Daniel Kash (Detective Louis Gardino in the series), in the same documentary observed about Fraser that 'You'll never see that character cry. You'll sense that he'll be crying inside but you'll never see tears going down his face. He's just too buffed for that, and too reserved.' In the episode Bounty Hunter, Fraser meets Janet Morse, a sturdy woman who seems very compatible with him, but his father warns Benton off. Fraser Sr. tries to get his son to understand that the woman is not the one who is vulnerable, but Benton. For all of his son's physical self-reliance, the young constable needs emotional maturing. Fraser eventually discovers he has an illegitimate half-sister, Maggie MacKenzie, in the season four episode Hunting Season. Because Bob Fraser is her father, she can also see his ghost. Just like her father and half-brother, Maggie is a member of the RCMP. She arrived in Chicago pursuing the killers of her husband, under circumstances similar to Fraser's own arrival in the city, though she soon returned to Canada, unlike Fraser, who remained in Chicago for some time. Series finale Fraser eventually returns to Canada, and along with Stanley Kowalski, sets out on an adventure to find the hand of Sir John Franklin, an explorer who disappeared while trying to discover the Northwest Passage. As the series ended with the beginning of their expedition, it is unknown what has happened to Fraser or Kowalski since then. His closing remarks: "If we find it...we'll let you know." The ITV documentary, made nine years after the series ended, concludes with Paul Gross saying "We never did photograph it, but I can tell you that we (Benton and Stanley) found it." Appearances Benton Fraser appears in all ''Due South'' episodes. Category:Due South characters Category:Royal Canadian Mounted Police